The best jewelry books of all time

Jewelry books: the best way to learn more about jewels and gemstones | Photo: Shutterstock

Whether you’re a jeweler, a gemstone collector, or simply a passionate jewelry lover, you need to surround yourself with the ultimate jewelry books. Take a look at the best jewelry publications in the market.

Books have the power to open our horizons and to teach us almost everything. And there’s a lot of data behind jewelry: science, design, art, techniques, business, and emotions.

Jewels and gems hide secrets and amazing untold mysteries.

The market offers basically three types of jewelry printed works: general knowledge books (gemstone identification), guides to jewelry techniques and design (how to’s, soldering, jewelry making courses), as well as jewelry art and history books (jewelry houses, jewelers, and jewelry trends through time).

The Jeweler’s Directory of Gemstones,” by Judith Crowe, was written for consumers, jewelry makers, goldsmiths, investors, collectors, and retailers. It is a comprehensive jewelry guide featuring accurate information on precious stones.

Gemstones of the World,” by Walter Schumann, will guide you in a visual adventure through over 1,800 gems. The reader will learn the origin of the stones, their physical, scientific, and color properties, and how they can be cut and polished.

Rocks and Minerals: The Definitive Visual Guide,” by Ronald Bonewitz, helps us identify more than 450 rock and mineral specimens. The 360-page jewelry book also tells us incredible stories behind the world’s most famous gemstones and treasures.

The Complete Jewelry Making Course,” by Jinks McGrath, is a must-have handbook for those willing to start making their own jewelry pieces. It is fully illustrated with high-end pictures, and it offers an in-depth look at the initial steps of jewelry making.

200 Beading Tips, Techniques & Trade Secrets,” by Jean Power, will answer all your doubts and questions about glass beads, crystal, and seed beads. The book also indicates the tools and techniques you’ll need to kick off your first artwork project.

The Workbench Guide to Jewelry Techniques,” by Anastasia Young, is one of the most complete publications on metalsmithing and jewelry making. The manual is the perfect pick for industry professionals and gemology students. Absolute beginners will adore it, too.

7000 Years of Jewelry,” by Hugo Tait, is probably the best book ever published on the long history of jewelry. The 256-page publication covers a timeline spanning from 5000 BC to the 20th century. The masterpieces, the ultimate jewelry pieces, the meaning behind designs, and the evolution of the valuable ornaments.

21st Century Jewelry: The Best of the 500 Series,” by Marthe Le Van, gathers the finest earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings of the century’s first decade. The coffee-table book was curated by a list of world-renowned gallerists and jewelers.

Gem Identification Made Easy,” by Antoinette Matlins and Antonio C. Bonanno, will clarify to readers how to identify and put a price on a gem. Learn how to spot imitations, know when you’re facing a synthetic piece, and increase your knowledge before buying or selling jewelry.

Discover our complete jewelry book library.

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